Dark Souls II comes out in Japan on the same week Namco Bandai will release the game in the West. Just like Dark Souls before it, FromSoftware will self-publish Dark Souls II in Japan and they designed different box art for the Japanese version.

As my session with the Dark Souls II beta began, I was filled with a sense of dread. Not because of any dangerous enemy or grisly sight ahead of me, but because before this session I’d never played Dark Souls.

Dark Souls II will be network-based instead of being P2P based. This means the chances of seeing bloodstains and other players walking around will be higher and invading players will be better matched to the invaded.

The more you die while undead, the more your total health will decrease all the way down to 50% of your maximum health and the more your character’s image will degrade. If you continue dying while already dead your character’s skin will start to decompose.

Pre-order the game and you’ll get Dark Souls II Black Armor Edition which includes the soundtrack and a metal case. If you like collectables and cloth maps check out the Dark Souls II Collectors Edition.